282 POULTRY AND WILD BIRDS 
THE WATER BIRDS 
Divine Birps 
This term refers only to our most expert divers, the Grebes and Loons, 
and is not applied to other birds that may have ordinary ability as divers, 
as, for example, many of the Ducks. The divers shoot through the 
water with greater speed and can remain out of sight for a longer time. 
Their feet have three webbed toes and are placed far back, near the 
tail, and they rarely venture upon land, where they are almost helpless. 
When alarmed they generally dive instead of trying to escape by flight. 
They are the most ancient submarines in 
the history of navigation; the Grebes 
even employ their heads as periscopes. 
Grebe Family. — The web does not 
completely connect the toes but forms 
escalloped flaps or lobes on them. On 
| land they may scramble along by using 
| their wings as fore legs. On the wing 
they resemble ducks. 
6 Pied-billed Grebe. Hell-diver. Length 
133 inches. 
Occurs on all our lakes and smaller 
bodies of water, not in large flocks, but in 
pairs or in small families. Grebes and 
Loons are our champion divers. When 
disturbed the Hell-diver simply sinks out 
PIED-BILLED GREBE of sight and then swims almost any dis- 
tance with only the tip of the bill above 
the surface. In this way he sometimes seems to disappear, mysteriously 
and completely. Upper parts brownish black, belly white. Nest, a pile 
of decaying vegetation placed on the water. Common S.R. 
1 Western Grebe. S.R. 3 Horned Grebe. S.R. 
2 Holboell Grebe. S.R. 4 American Eared Grebe. S.R. 
Loon Family. — Loons are much larger than the Grebes, and are their 
equals as expert divers and swimmers. On land not only the wings but 
also the bill assists the awkward legs. They have three toes completely 
webbed. 
